The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-11
ONCE HANGED.
Marvellous Escape OF n Negro who
Was Hanged at Lonoke, Ark.
Hot Springs News.


people of the State that about three
years ago a negro was hanged at
Lonoke, this State. Afterward il
was published that the negro had
come to life, which announcement
created considerable excitement
among the people in tho vicinity of
the place where the hanging 90
Cured. A few DAYS ago this Same
negro shows up in Worcester, Mass,
with a crooked neck, as will be seen
by the following account, which is
taken from the Worcester Mass
Telegram. 1t says:
Yesterday afternoon colored
man was taken i'll on the common,
aud would have fallen but for the
timely assistance OF two bystauders.
The man had been wandering about
the common since morning, aud had
been noticed on account OF the pecul-
lar way in which he carried his
head. II hung toward his right
shoulder, and he seemed to take no
pains TO pull it into the position in
which people commonly carry their
heads. He was respectably dressed
in clothes that had evidently not
been made for him, and his boots
looked as il he had walked q consid-
cradle distance.
When he had been assisted to n
seat he tainted, and when he re-
gained consciousness he clutched at
his throat, tore away his collar and
said, appealingly: mo, mol My
Godl Not againl' His embarrass-
ment when he looked about him was
marked. 0ne of the gentlemen who
had assisted him TO seat lett when
the colored mar had recovered, but
the other remained and questioned
him as soon as he had recovered his
composure,
He did not belong in Worcester,
he said, and he had never been here
before. He had walked in from New
Haven.
BEGGING SHELTER AND FOOD
as he went, aud had only got to this
city in the early morning. He had
no friends, and he said he was not
able TO work. The man seemed fur.
ried by his faintAess and weak, and
the humane person who had re-
NAMED by his side took him TO q res
taurant aud saw him properly fed.
Ii was in a burst OF gratitude and
confidence at being 80 well treated
that the colored man told tale so
utterly marvellous as TO be utterly
unworthy of credence were it not
corroborated by known facts.
IL was sitting in the common after
he had dined that he said: II have
had trouble with my neck and been
subject TO iaintiDg spells ever since
| was hanged 10 Arkansas. D."
The expression WIS startling
enough to make anyone think the
man was crazy; but he was circum-
stantial as TO details of time and
place, and il is a we'll known fact
that a negro was legally hanged
three years ago in Arkansas for as
sault on a white woman and after
ward recovered consciousness.
The case attracted much attention
at the time. As published then, the
negro was suspended for twenty min.
utes after the drop OF the old fash
toned platform gallows fell, and the
body was given by the sheriff TO the
father Of the young man, who, with
some friend, was waiting near by
with a WAGON. II was the intention
TO take h IN 10 the settlement, where
he formerly lived, aud bury him
there. This settlement was fourteen
miles from the county seat, at which
the hanging took Tlace, and was
through a lonely piece Of cOuntry.
When the wagon was nearly at home
the father Of the supposed corpse
aud his friends we're startled by
eroaus coming from under the tar
paulin thrown over thesupposed dead
man and his struggles TO get
from under.it. As soon as they had
recovered from their fright they went
back 10 the wagon, from which they
had fed, aud helped the legally dead
man up, gave him drink from tho
omuipresent jug Of whisky aud took
him home. Instead Of leaving tho
settlement at once the hanged man
stayed around his old home, and the
suporstitious colored people demand.
ed his roarrcst aud the completion OF
the hanging. The case was taken 10
the Governor, and, pending discus.
sion as 10 the right OF the authorities
10 take c1gnizancc OF the existence
OF a convict who had been pro.
nounced legally dead, the man fed
and has been a wanderor ever since.
THB STORY
of the negro coincided with the case
as recalled, aud there was no room
70 doubt that he was really the Ar
kansas culprit.
Ii was only after repeated urging,
sweetoned with promises Of help 20
leave the city in comfort, that he
told the story in the dialect Of 4
Southern field hand, somewhat tenn
pered by residence in the North.
Diyested Of it, quaint dialect, his
tale is weirdly and perhaps morbidly
interesting.
81 was locked up, he said, "noro
than six months, but never thought
| was going TO be hanged until the
night before. Then | knew the gal
lows was up aud ] got scared, They
prayed sith me all the time aud tried
10 keep me from thinking Of II, bui
| didn't hear what they prayed about
| was too excited. | didn't 90 4
sleep all the night before. and whoI
they came TO fetch me | was 80 veal
| couldn't stand up. The shorit
gave me q drink Of whisky and thoi
tied my elbows behind my back an,
took me along. | knew there wer,
crowds around when | went 10 tn,
gallows, but | didn't seem 10 se
them. | heard somebody siDgin
aud Joined 10. Then they pusho,
b me up on the gallows and | raw tn
. rope and got scared again anJ trie,
TO hang back, but they pushed nj
81 along aud made me stand up straight
: I recoloct their putting the noes